24 SERMONS UrON PHILIPPIANS IIL [[S'EK IIL
remembrance of oar approaching misery, than redemption by Christ ? yea, what to allay our present sorrows and trouble about a naughty heart, an opposite world, and a tempting devil, but the remembrance of the captain of our salvation, who hath undertaken to bring us to- God, and make us perfect through suffering ? Heb. ii. 10, ' For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering/
(2.) His sufficiency to do us good. There is the blood of God to be a ransom for our souls : Acts xx. 28, ' Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.' And so to make our peace with God : Col. i. 20, ' Having made peace through the blood of his cross, to reconcile all things to himself, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven.' The Spirit of God to renew and heal our natures, ' Shed upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord,' Titus iii. 5, 6. 'The captain of our salvation,' to conquer our enemies : Heb. ii. 10, ' Christ in us ' the pledge of our hopes and joys, and the root of everlasting blessedness : Col. i. 27, ' Christ in you the hope of glory.' Surely if we have the eternal Son of God from whom to fetch our daily supplies and our daily delight, we must needs be well provided for, so that the heart of trouble is broken. This is a sufficient remedy against all our fears and sorrows.
[3.] The effect of this knowledge. It is a renewing and trans- forming knowledge. It impresseth the image of God upon our hearts: Col. iii. 10, 'And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him ; ' 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' Others can talk of God and Christ, but you resemble him, and are changed into his likeness. When sight is per- fect, your conformity will be greater : 1 John iii. 2, ' But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' But now it leaveth some impress of God upon the soul, it maketh you more like him, and amiable in his sight.
2. The subjects who thus esteem the knowledge of Christ, their minds and hearts are changed.
[1.] Their minds. It is a special privilege promised in the new covenant : Jer. xxxi. 34, ' For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord ; ' Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord.' Now by this new covenant knowledge they have a spirit of discerning. In discern- ing there is comparing, differencing, esteeming, choosing. Their minds are awakened ; they do compare what they lose and what they gain ; on the one side, worldly things are short and uncertain, and which cannot satisfy the heart of man, or if they could satisfy his desires, they cannot give rest to the conscience. That is the trial, rest for souls : Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way ? and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' That is not to be found in the world: Isa. lv. 2, ' Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread,
V*ER. 8.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 25
and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? ' Let conscience be once awakened with the sense of sin and fear of wrath, it can find nothing in the world to pacify it ; but in Christ it may : Mat. xi. 28, 29, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and. lowly in heart : and you shall find rest for your souls.' They prefer good or discern bad things : Eom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.' Good things : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' They esteem and choose : Heb. xi. 25, 26, ' Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.'
[2.] Their hearts are turned as well as their minds convinced. These things do not suit with their scope and end, which is to please and enjoy God : 2 Cor. v. 9, 10, ' Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.'